A Ring that Embraces the Sun
by Aiselne Phoenix Nocturnus
Summary: Goku's diadem reminds Konzen of something. Something precious. Gaiden arc. One-Shot.


_**A Ring that Embraces the Sun**_

**SUMMARY**: Goku's diadem reminds Konzen of something. Something precious.

**GENRE**: Angst/Drama  
**RATED**: G / K  
**NOTABLE CONTENT**: Brief References to Violence

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Gensomaden Saiyuki  
_**STORY TAKES PLACE IN**: _Saiyuki Gaiden_

**COMMENTS**: Drabble written to commemorate the English release of the _Saiyuki Gaiden_ OVA this month! :D Enjoy!

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**A Ring that Embraces the Sun  
**_Aiselne P.N._

"_Can you continue to be that little boy's sun, Konzen?"_

He was the child's sun, but what was the child to him?

There are gods. There are demons. Humans of the lower world also believed in what they called angels. And in the blink of an eye, Konzen Douji had met all three.

The blonde god's heart was still hammering. The drumming in his ears felt so deafening that Konzen half-expected the noise to awaken the child currently lying unconscious against his chest. Goku's face was serene and his breathing was normal, the polar opposite of the aftershock currently experienced by his guardian. It was impossible to believe that mere seconds ago, that innocent-looking boy had attacked like a Hell-sent monster. And there was no shred of doubt in anyone's mind; Seiten Taisei _would_ have killed Konzen…and Tenpou, Kenren, Goujun…_everyone_.

The rebels had hunkered down in Tenpou's library as Heaven's armies readied their defenses. There was no going back now, not that Konzen had any intentions of doing so. Quite frankly, Heaven's forces did not scare him at all, not after Konzen had witnessed a mere child massacre countless gods. When they first met Goku, Konzen's illustrious aunt had claimed that the monkey was ferocious, but the golden deity never expected _this_.

As his pulse returned to normal, Konzen's fingers gingerly stroked the just-materialized diadem atop the youngling's head. Strange how the coronet was identical in color to Goku's eyes. Golden, shining… the color of heretics, yet also the color of the sun used to personify Goku's guardian. Only then did Konzen realize the irony, and he felt torn between fascination and disgust.

It all made sense now; why Goku was brought to Heaven in the first place. Seiten Taisei was a perfect candidate to be toushin, deadlier than the late Nataku. As adamantly as Heaven was to now eliminate Goku and the rest of his so-called traitors, Konzen realized that there were still forces that sought Seiten's powers for personal gain. Nobody dared to play with fire, but likewise, nobody dared to ignore the fire's possibilities when placed into able hands. Except Konzen doubted anyone in Heaven could truly control Goku's wildfire rage. The boy was born from a rock; direct offspring of what earthlings called "Mother Nature," and nobody, god or otherwise, could hope to control her…never mind control her own son.

But she was not here, not now, protecting Goku in his hour of need, either. When had the gods become so arrogant to give themselves the authority to drag a child so far from his home? Until Nataku's suicide, Goku had greatly enjoyed his new life in Heaven, but that did not change the probability that the boy never rightfully belonged here.

However…what if Goku had never been brought to Heaven? Surely, Konzen and his friends would not be hiding in Tenpou's library, preparing for the worst. Had they not met Goku, their omnipotent lives would have continued as always: simple, complacent…and utterly meaningless.

His slender digits stroking Goku's profile, Konzen felt his chest tighten as he felt slight moisture streaked across the boy's nearest cheek. Goku's grieving for Nataku had long since evaporated into Seiten Taisei's outrage. Nevertheless, the boy's face harbored ghosts of tearstains and bloodshed. It was the first time that Konzen had ever seen Goku as less than his cheerful, rambunctious self. Never again did Konzen want to see Goku cry. Maybe it _was_ a mistake for the kid to have been abducted from the lower world. If he never came to Heaven, Goku would have been spared such agonizing pain.

And yet, for Konzen to imagine his life without having met the silly monkey… it was the blonde deity who began to feel the greater pain. Despite his anger towards those who stole Goku from Earth, Konzen would not have wanted circumstances to unfold any other way. To him, having Hell break loose was a small price to pay for meeting such an unforgettable child. He just wished Goku had not suffered so deeply.

"_Can you continue to be that little boy's sun, Konzen?"_

The sun's duty was to warm the earth. If Goku's keeper was the sun, and Goku himself was the child of Earth, then Konzen's duty was obvious. He held the slumbering child closer, their shared body heat seeming to further soothe the boy. But Konzen's arms were for more than mere heat. He, Tenpou, and Kenren had already resigned themselves to protecting the tiny brunette with their lives. To return to the home from where he had been so selfishly taken; Goku deserved that much.

Goku deserved so much more.

"_You're shining, Konzen! Just like the sun!"_

The child's golden eyes were what had been shining when Konzen and Goku first met. Resting his hand on Goku's head, the blonde admired his diadem once more. The room's overhead lighting shined off both the coronet and Goku's hair, as though a glowing ring encompassed the boy's head. Konzen had never quite noticed until now, but…

Humans believed in heavenly beings called angels. In Heaven, tenshi were considered as "real" as fairies and other mythical creatures. Gods almost always took mythology with a grain of salt. However, Konzen did recall one telltale detail that remained constant throughout angel myths. Aside wings, angels had golden rings around their heads.

A halo by its most basic definition was a ring that embraces its sun.

Most of Heaven callously considered Goku to be a monster. Konzen knew the truth. It was Heaven's damned leaders who were the true monsters. Even if he was Seiten Taisei, Goku was anything but a monster. Son Goku was a wonderful, vibrant boy with a zest for life. He was pure. Innocent. An angel.

Konzen's angel.

**The End**

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**A/N**: This drabble was inspired by none other than Minekura-san's gorgeous artwork, specifically her more recent works. I noticed how the anime-style shine to Goku's hair is often aligned with his diadem, sometimes making it look like he has an actual glowing ring around his head. It reminded me of an angel's halo, and the rest is what you read here.

Thanks for reading! Your feedback is much appreciated, dear readers.


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